The UAE has announced prayer timings for Friday, 31st July, the first day of Eid Al Adha. While mosques across the UAE will be operating at 50 percent capacity, Eid prayers need to be performed at home, individually or with family members, in order to avoid large congregations and gatherings after prayers.
Before the Eid prayer, mosques across the UAE will be broadcasting Eid Takbeer (supplications). These are the timings for the Eid prayers in each emirate:
- Abu Dhabi – 06.07 am
- Ajman – 06.05 am
- Dubai – 06.03 am
- Fujairah – 06.02 am
- Ras Al Khaimah – 06.03 am
- Sharjah – 06.06 am
- Umm Al Quwain – 06.05am
Animal sacrifices can be made from 6:30 am on the first day of Eid till sunset on the second day of Eid, according to the General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments.
This year Eid Al Adha will be a different experience due to the coronavirus pandemic and associated restrictions on social mingling. While both public and private sector workers are off for the festival from Thursday, 30th July to Sunday, 2nd August, there are strict rules and fines related to any family gatherings. People are only allowed to visit first and second-degree relatives, and must observe physical distance and wear face masks during their visits.
Eid Al Adha: Check out these Tips to Stay Healthy and Avoid Overeating
However, UAE residents and visitors can head to various leisure destinations and shopping malls across the country, which are now operational with safety measures in place. In addition, to enable people to celebrate Eid fully, the UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has just launched 33 applications which can be used to exchange Eid greetings and give cash gifts (Eidiya) remotely. 23 of these applications are associated with banks in the country while 10 are for electronic wallets. They appear with the title: “Greet them from a distance and share the joy of the Eid.”
